A British tourist has been left seriously injured after a gas explosion destroyed a three-storey B&B in Rome.
Grant Paterson, 54, from East Kilbride in South Lanarkshire, has reportedly been left severely burned after the explosion in the Monteverde area of the Italian city on Sunday morning.
Mr Paterson was pulled out of the ruins by firefighters but is believed to have suffered third degree burns to 75% of his body, according to local news site Roma Today.
He is currently undergoing treatment at Sant’Eugenio Hospital.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) said it is supporting Mr Paterson’s family and is in contact with the local authorities.
Sky News understands Mr Paterson arrived in Rome on 17 March and was due to return home on Monday.
Social media posts show he had visited famous tourist hot spots such as the Colosseum and the Pantheon before the incident.
He wrote he had arrived in Rome, adding: “Accommodation is beautiful.
“This should be a good week… if I don’t get killed in some ungodly way.”
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Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri visited the scene and told reporters he had ordered a full investigation into the explosion.
He said: “The important thing is that fortunately there are no victims, although unfortunately one person was seriously injured.
“Most likely he is a guest of a hospitality facility, of Scottish origin.
“We don’t know his exact condition, but he suffered burns, and this also suggests that it was an explosion caused by gas, which also causes flames.
“It was a very loud explosion, a building collapsed and the wall of Villa Pamphili was also damaged.”
